Portable sinks are well known and have been in use for many years. For example, a U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,376 of Herbert discloses a portable sink that is arranged for ease of transportation and storage. The sink includes a central housing having respective lower and upper housings positioned on opposite sides of the central housing. As disclosed, the upper housing includes a fluid reservoir structure arranged for orthogonal orientation relative to the central housing with a faucet permitting fluid to flow upon pivoting of the faucet relative to a floor cavity within the upper housing floor. A lower housing includes an upper housing reservoir in communication with a sink within the central housing for storage and subsequent disposal of fluid within the lower housing.
A more recent U.S. Patent of Patterson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,959,460 discloses a portable wash basin device wherein the device includes a sink for receiving fresh water therein for permitting a user thereof to wash. The sink defines an open top for the reception therein of the fresh water so that the user is permitted to wash therein. A container is disposed adjacent to the sink for containing the fresh water and a pump is operatively connected to the container for pumping the fresh water from the container into the sink. A lid is secured to the sink such that when the lid is disposed in an open disposition thereof access to the sink by the user thereof is permitted and when the lid is disposed in a closed position thereof the lid covers the sink.
Finally, an improved portable sink for use by the handicap is disclosed in a U.S. Pat. No. 7,331,070 of Al-Anezi. As disclosed, the portable sink includes a base member and a plurality of foldable legs for supporting the base member above a surface when in a first position and foldable flat against the base member for storage and transport. The sink also includes a first storage tank for containing a supply of clean water, a concave basin and a second storage tank for receiving dirty water from the concave basin. The base member also includes a support member for supporting the first storage tank above the level of the concave basin and means for supporting the second storage tank below the level of the concave basin with the lower part of the concave basin in contact with a top portion of the second storage tank. In addition, a fluid passage is provided between the lower part of the concave basin and the upper part of the second storage tank with a normally closed one-way depressible valve connecting the lower part of the basin and the second storage tank. This valve prevents water from the second storage tank from flowing back into the concave basin. In addition, a separate depressor constructed and arranged for manually depressing the valve is also provided for opening the valve to drain the dirty water from the basin and into the second storage tank. Finally, a cover fits over the base member with means for releasably fastening the cover to the base member.
Notwithstanding the above, it is presently believed that there is a need and a potential commercial market for a further improvement in a portable apparatus and/or device for personal hygiene by an individual who is confined to a room or bed. It is believed that there is a commercial market for such devices because they are more complete than many of the prior art devices by providing electricity for an electric dryer and shaver as well as a soap holder, brush holder, force of clean water and a storage tank for used water. Such devices are particularly suitable for moving from one side of a room to a bed or from a portion from another room to an occupied room for use by the occupant. The devices in accordance with the present invention are also believed to be manufactured at a competitive price and are durable and provide sufficient water for use by an individual in their personal hygiene.